Microsecond-range optical shutter for unpolarized light with chiral nematic liquid crystal
- Electronics and Information Systems Department, Ghent University, St. Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent (Belgium)
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, 130 Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 443-803 (Korea, Republic of)
A fast electro-optic shutter is fabricated and demonstrated. The device works independently of the polarization state of the incoming light beam. Modulation between 3% transmission and 60% transmission is obtained within a wavelength range of 50 nm with a response time of 20 μs. The device consists of two partly polymerized chiral nematic liquid crystal layers separated by a half wave plate. The transmission modulation is due to a 50 nm wavelength shift of the photonic band gap of the chiral liquid crystal realized by applying an electric field over a mixture of photo-polymerized LC and non-reactive nematic LC containing a chiral dopant. The shutter features high reflectivity in the photonic band gap. We investigate the influence of the amplitude of the applied voltage on the width and the depth of the reflection band.
- OSTI ID:
- 22488534
- Journal Information:
- AIP Advances, Journal Name: AIP Advances Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 5; ISSN AAIDBI; ISSN 2158-3226
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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